I’ve been feeling rather peachy lately.  The seasonal stone fruit has made it’s way into my kitchen and will stay for as long as we could carry on this sweet union.  It started with a simple grilling of a batch of peaches, next my uncle Ron made a white peach balsamic salad, then a few days later I was at an Amish restaurant in Arkansas having peach tea when I realized everything had gone peaches.  Especially since I know Walmart is selling a bounty of them at a super low price, and 100% guaranteed.  Sure I love other stone fruits (plums, apricots, nectarines, cherries and dates), and will probably get around to giving them my undivided attention in the very near future, but for now my flavor of the month is peach.

I remember somewhere in the early 2000’s I had the pleasure of visiting France and hadn’t been there in a long time.  As my summer sandals hugged the pavement I walked up and down the street looking for scrumptious bakeries and bistros to sink my teeth into.  I could see out of the side of my eye some movement down the way, but it wasn’t until the waft of broiled peaches hit my nose that I actually turned to see what was going on.  There stood a woman hunched over a little stand that resembled an oven, on the top she spread out fresh crepes, and below in what looked like a cabinet was a big batch of broiled peaches.  My feet moved at lightning speed to get to her.  I was practically out of breath as I tried my best to order a crepe in a psychedelic mix of Spanish, English, and French.  I figured one of those tongues would reach her understanding.  We exchanged currency and before I knew it I was in broiled peach heaven.

I recently remembered those lovely broiled peaches and with my peach frenzy in tow, decided to make something that would pay homage to those days when I frolicked in the Parisian sun.

Ingredients for graham broiled peach tarts:

• 1 – box of graham crackers
• 2 – sticks butter (16 tablespoons)
• 1 – teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 – ripe peaches (regular, white, or saturn) (cut into 4th’s with pit removed)
• 4 – tablespoons sugar
• 1 – cup whipping cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. In a food processor add in graham crackers and pulse till a complete crumb is formed.
3. Melt 12 tablespoons of butter in a little bowl in the microwave. Pour the melted butter and vanilla extract over the graham crumbs and pulse again till all ingredients come together.
4. Grease a mini pie pan. I used Wilton’s.
5. Carefully press graham cookie crumbs into the prepared pie tray to form the tart crust. 
6. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing from pan.
7. Place all peaches in a large baking dish.
8. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, then using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the peaches with butter. 
9. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the top of the peaches. 
10. Place the peaches under the broiler on high for 10 minutes or until they char slightly. 
11. In a mixer add 2 tablespoons sugar and whipping cream. Beat on high until soft peaks form.
12. Place a few broiled peaches into graham shell.  
13. Top with fresh whipped cream. This recipe makes 12 mini pies.
14. DEVOUR!